In Vivo Evaluation and Proof of Radiofrequency Safety of a Novel Diagnostic MR-Electrophysiology Catheter

An MR-electrophysiology (EP) catheter is presented that provides full diagnostic EP functionality and a high level of radiofrequency safety achieved by custom-designed transmission lines. Highly resistive wires transmit intracardiac electrograms and currents for intracardiac pacing. A transformer cable transmits the localization signal of a tip coil. Specific absorption rate simulations and temperature measurements at 1.5 T demonstrate that a wire resistance > 3 kΩ/m limits dielectric heating to a physiologically irrelevant level. Additional wires do not increase tip specific absorption rate significantly, which is important because some clinical catheters require up to 20 electrodes. It is further demonstrated that radiofrequency-induced and pacing-induced resistive heating of the wires is negligible under clinical conditions. The MR-EP catheters provided uncompromised recording of electrograms and cardiac pacing in combination with a standard EP recorder in MR-guided in vivo EP studies, and the tip coil enabled fast and robust catheter localization. In vivo temperature measurements during such a study did not detect any device-related heating, which confirms the high level of safety of the catheter, whereas unacceptable heating was found with a standard EP catheter. The presented concept for the first time enables catheters with full diagnostic EP functionality and active tracking and at the same time a sufficient level of radiofrequency safety for MRI without specific absorption rate-related limitations

Assessment of intramyocardial hemorrhage by T1-weighted cardiovascular magnetic resonance in reperfused acute myocardial infarction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Intramyocardialhemorrhage (IMH) reflects severe reperfusion injury in acute myocardial infarction. Non-invasive detection of IMH by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) may serve as a surrogate marker to evaluate the effect of preventive measures to reduce reperfusion injury and hence provide additional prognostic information. We sought to investigate whether IMH could be detected by CMR exploiting the T1 shortening effect of methemoglobin in an experimental model of acute myocardial infarction. The results were compared to T2-weighthed short tau inversion recovery (T2-STIR), and T2*-weighted(T2*W) sequences.</p> <p>Methods and results</p> <p>IMH was induced in ten 40 kg pigs by 50-min balloon occlusion of the mid LAD followed by reperfusion. Between 4–9 days (average 4.8) post-injury, the left ventricular myocardium was assessed by T1-weigthed Inversion Recovery(T1W-IR), T2-STIR, and T2*Wsequences. All CMR images were matched to histopathology and compared with the area of IMH. The difference between the size of the IMH area detected on T1W-IR images and pathology was −1.6 ± 11.3% (limits of agreement, -24%–21%), for the T2*W images the difference was −0.1 ± 18.3% (limitsof agreement, -36.8%–36.6%), and for T2-STIR the difference was 8.0 ± 15.5% (limits of agreement, -23%–39%). By T1W IR the diagnostic sensitivity of IMH was 90% and specificity 70%, for T2*W imaging the sensitivity was 70% and specificity 50%, and for T2-STIR sensitivity for imaging IMH was 50% and specificity 60%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>T1-weigthednon-contrast enhanced CMR detects IMH with high sensitivity and specificity and may become a diagnostic tool for detection of IMH in patients with myocardial infarction.</p